Lions noncommittal on status of Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson for game vs. Packers

AP File PhotoQuarterback Matthew Stafford sat out practice Tuesday and could miss the Lions' Thanksgiving game.ALLEN PARK -- While the lack of participation at practice Tuesday would seem to indicate that the Detroit Lions likely will be without their two best offensive players -- rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Calvin Johnson -- for Thursday's game, no one is willing to say that with any certainty.

In fact, they're not saying anything at all. They're doing a lot of talking, but they're really not saying much. The 2-8 Lions will host the 6-4 Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day at 12:30 p.m. at Ford Field.

Stafford separated his left shoulder on the final play of regulation in Detroit's 38-37 win Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. Detroit's injury report lists Johnson's injuries as "hand/knee," but Lions coach Jim Schwartz wouldn't allow himself to be nailed down on specifics.

"He's improving," Schwartz said of Johnson, who missed two games this season with a right knee injury. "It's something that isn't related. He went down on the one and banged it up a bit."

Well, that explains it. Schwartz was equally as vague about Stafford's status for Thursday's game.

"We'll have to wait and see. If it's the way it was today, a lot of guys wouldn't have been able to play, but you don't want to rule anyone out this time of the week," Schwartz said. "He's still sore, but he's getting better. It's something we anticipated getting better.

"Whether it's something that will be better on Thursday -- it's still too early to tell. If he was the way he is today, he'd be unlikely to play. But things can change, so we don't want to rule anything out."

Surely, Stafford would be able to offer some clues.

"As soon as I can play, I'm going to be back," Stafford said. "That's the same attitude I took with my knee (injury). As soon as it's ready, I'm going to be out there. And hopefully, that's this week."

One of the details Schwartz did provide was that Stafford would not be held out of the game because there would be a risk of causing greater damage to his shoulder.

"I think there's no issue there," Schwartz said. "It's his non-throwing shoulder, and it's not an issue where it's going to be something that he could damage any further. It's painful, and there's limited range of motion, but no, that's not a concern.

"He's not one to shy away from a challenge. If he's able, he'll be able to get out there and play. But there's definitely a line there between being willing and being able."

To save themselves from getting a migraine, the Packers aren't trying to figure this out. They've seen this act before.

In the week leading to their first meeting with the Lions last month -- which the Packers won 26-0 -- it was unclear whether Stafford or Johnson would play. At that time, they both were nursing knee injuries, and as it turned out, neither of them played against the Packers.

"We dealt with this the first time we played them," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "We didn't know if it was going to be Stafford or (Daunte) Culpepper, and we didn't know if Calvin was going to play. So we'll have, in a sense, two plans and have the ability to adjust."

Green Bay safety Charles Woodson said the Packers aren't too worried about who might or might not play for the Lions.

"(At quarterback), I think the only difference is the experience. Culpepper's an experienced guy who's been around a long time," Woodson said. "Stafford's just a young guy. He's going through his growing pains as a rookie, and for us, we're just preparing for whoever it is and play it like that.

"Regardless if Calvin plays or Stafford plays, for us, it's about execution. We're not going to change too much. We're going to go out there and try and get a win."

While the status of Stafford and Johnson remains unclear, Schwartz said safety Ko Simpson won't play Thursday, and it's possible he'll miss the rest of the season.

There are two likely candidates to replace Simpson in the lineup -- Marvin White and Anthony Henry -- but the Lions won't reveal that until game time.